Can Kingsmill’s new Super Toasty loaf deliver the ‘best ever toast’?

Vince Bamford
· 07 November, 2016

Allied Bakeries has unveiled a new Kingsmill loaf that it claims offers consumers the ‘best ever toast’.

Rolling out from 4 January next year with a £1.25 recommended retail price, the Super Toasty uses a “special blend of flours” and “unique thickness”, said Allied, to “deliver what consumers describe as the perfect slice of toast”. An on-pack flash says ‘Best Ever Toast Or Your Money Back’.

The activity is part of a rebranding of Kingsmill rolling out across the winter and reformulation of key lines. It will be supported with a £10m marketing spend in 2017.

The move comes as traditional sliced bread is under continuing pressure from low retail prices and a shift in consumer spend towards sandwich alternatives such as wraps and thins.

In a trading update published in February, Allied Bakeries owner Associated British Foods (ABF) said bread prices were at their lowest level for eight years and were continuing to put pressure on bakery industry margins.

At the time, ABF described the UK bakery market as remaining “intensely competitive, with retailers choosing bread as a means of highlighting their value for money to shoppers”.

Allied will be hoping the launch of Super Toasty and the Kingsmill Toasties products rolled out last month will help revive interest in the baked goods category. From January, the business will also be distributing a softer Soft White loaf, “fluffier” crumpets and the “best ever” Farmhouse White and Seeded Batch loaves.

“We wanted Kingsmill to truly reflect what our consumers love the most,” said Allied Bakeries marketing director Janene Warsap. “We have improved our core product recipes, have introduced exciting new innovations and have a great new design that conjures the feelings of warmth and joy associated with bread and bakery.”

The new look, which was created by design agency BrandOpus and made its debut with the roll-out of Kingsmill Toasties, ditches the traditional Kingsmill blue in favour of golden yellow tones. A handwritten typeface is indicative of a personal touch, said Allied, while a ‘K’ shape window has been added to reveal the bread inside.

“We are delighted to be launching such an extensive rebrand for Kingsmill that will place bakery front of mind for both retailers and consumers, reminding them of the excitement and variety in the category,” said Allied Bakeries category director Zoe Taphouse.

“Bakery represents a huge opportunity for us, the retailer, and the consumer and we want to be a driver of its evolution to help deliver future growth.”